The key to Vintage sound is in our opinion to 70% only the magnet...Our magnets are custommade for Crazyparts to Vintage specs...

The most common magnet Type in the 50's and 60s was the Alnico 2 and Alnico 5 Important detail concerning the tone of vintage P.A.F. pickup magnets is the metal formulation and heat treating processes of our manufacture. An interesting detail of Alnico magnets in vintage P.A.F. pickups is they are very often lower charged than many of the modern Alnico magnets made overseas. There are several reasons for the difference.

The main reason is Gibson used to charge magnets in a block. Alnico is cheaper to purchase uncharged. As a cost savings measure purchased uncharged magnets and .charged several magnets in a small block in a homemade charge. The practice of charging Alnico in a block results in Alnico magnets that are not fully charged or fully "saturated" with a charge. In order for Alnico to be most stable it should be fully saturated. As a result of Gibson's old charging method magnets received less charge from the get go and depending upon what these magnets are exposed to over time, they are more prone to losing charge with some grades being more prone than others to loss of charge.

We offer the most common types ALN Magnets
To make sure all our magnets within a type sounds the same and have same strenght, all magnets charge one by one.

Different Magnet Types and Sound Info

Alnico 2
- Warmer sounding with less magnetic pull to allow the strings to vibrate more freely. A good choice for warming up a bright or harsh sounding amp and guitar.
Overall the Alnico 2 is warm, with clear mids, spongier bass, and a softer attack. Many players use the Alnico 2's to better achieve the vintage tone heard in many pickups from the 50's era.

Alnico 3
- Considered to be brighter than Alnico 2 with the least magnetic pull to allow the strings to vibrate more freely. A good choice for clean tones and lots of articulation.
Overall the Alnico 3 is bright, with clear mids, warm bass, and a softer attack.

Alnico 4
-This magnet is best described to have the characteristics of both Alnico 2 and Alnico 5. Kind of a happy medium.

Alnico 5
-Bright sounding with more focus and enhanced dynamics. A good choice for adding a brighter punch to a warm or dull sounding amp or guitar.

Alnico 5 - Short
-Providing more focus in the upper-mids and brighter highs. The bottom-end is deep but very controlled and coupled with the extra cut in the high-end. Great for organic, clean and driven tones.

Overall the Alnico 5 is bright and punchy, with glassy highs, tight bass, and more attack. Alnico 5 magnets are the most commonly used magnets in guitar pickups today.

Sound of Long Magnet compare to Short: Long magnets are slightly more focused compare to Shorter type magnets they providing more focus in the upper-mids and brighter highs. The bottom-end is deep but very controlled and coupled with the extra cut in the high-end. Great for organic, clean and driven tones, with the charakteristic of the ALN type. Gibson used Short Magnets from 1961 onwards incl. the Famous T-Top Pickups. Overall the natural sound and voicing of the Guitar will be the same!

Just in....Vintage Formula un-oriented A5 mags....

A Vintage Formula Alnico 5 Unoriented (UOA5) magnet is one of the ultimate "secret weapons" for building or modding classic Gibson P.A.F. humbuckers. It breaks away from modern Alnico 5 standards to replicate a chemical and thermal anomaly frequently found in late-1950s guitar electronics.

Because Materials Matters!

Tonal Impact: Laboratory analyses shown that this exact low-carbon vintage alloy provides a sweet, rounded, and highly transparent top-end response.

The History: What Makes it "Unoriented"?

Standard modern Alnico 5 magnets are oriented (anisotropic). During the manufacturing process, the molten alloy (aluminum, nickel, cobalt, copper, and iron) is cooled inside a powerful magnetic field. This forces the internal grain structure to align perfectly in one direction. The result is a highly efficient magnet that holds a strong charge, delivering a tight, aggressive, and scoop-mid tone.

During the golden era at Gibson's Kalamazoo factory, however, consistency varied. Due to looser manufacturing controls or specific heat-treatment methods at old American foundries (like Illinois or Indiana), Gibson often received batches of unoriented (isotropic) Alnico 5. These magnets were cooled without a magnetic field, leaving the grain structure completely randomized. Consequently, the material cannot hold a full directional charge, physically altering how it behaves.

Tonal Profile: The Bridge Between Alnico 2 and Alnico 5

The unoriented Alnico 5 blends the best traits of two legendary magnets, making it highly musical and sought-after by pickup winders:

• From Alnico 2, it inherits: The sweet, rounded treble response (no harsh, piercing peaks), a singing mid-range bloom, and a soft, compressed transient attack when you dig in with a pick.

• From Alnico 5, it retains: Low-end clarity and definition. Where Alnico 2 can sometimes get "mushy" or boomy under heavy distortion, a UOA5 keeps the bass tight, articulate, and punchy.

Its frequency response is significantly warmer and richer in the upper-mids than a standard modern A5. It is an excellent choice for "taming" a bridge humbucker that sounds too bright or sterile, without losing its overall power and cutting edge.

Key Specs to Look For

If you are sourcing authentic "Vintage Formula" UOA5 bar magnets from specialized suppliers (such as Crazyparts), ensure they feature these historical details:

• Rough Cast Finish: The magnet should have a sand-cast, bumpy texture rather than a smooth, polished finish. The rough surface naturally scatters the magnetic field lines slightly.

• Traditional Dimensions: For the authentic late-50s "Long Magnet P.A.F." spec, look for the standard 2.5" length (2.5" x 0.5" x 0.125" / 63.5mm x 12.7mm x 3.2mm).

• Alloy Purity: Is the key to Vintage tone!